Even
with the World
of
Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria
beta in full swing the war between those
who hate the Pandaren and all that comes along with them versus those
who have embraced them fully still rages on. The debate on the topic
takes over pages and pages of forum topics as well as more than a few
in-game chats. It seems that no
matter how many points either side
scores neither will concede.

I personally have never had a
real problem with the super cute panda people and their breathtakingly
beautiful homeland of Pandaria. Why am I not outraged like many of the
others out there you may wonder? The answer to that question is because
that in my opinion, Mists of Pandaria goes with World of Warcraft like
peanut butter goes with jelly. Here are my top 5 reasons why:

Mists of Pandaria Works in
World of Warcraft

5. Stuff is Going to get
Busted Up

Even though the storyline in
Mists of Pandaria is far lighter than the one seen in Cataclysm, we can
beat that eventually, shit is going to get real. The Horde and Alliance
are going to go at it in a big way in this expansion pack and the
unsuspecting Pandaren are going to get caught in the middle. It stands
to reason that much like “pretty” zones before it,
Pandaria will see some major destruction before all is said and done.
While many would claim Mists of Pandaria is just a fluff expansion,
like other expansions before it what you see on the surface often hides
the turmoil within. Dark secrets are lurking and in typical World of
Warcraft style are just waiting for the right heroes to unlock them.

Even if you have had just a
quick peek at the Mists of Pandaria beta it is pretty clear that the
Pandaren race has a solid Asian influence. While this oriental feel is
vastly different from anything we have seen previously in World of
Warcraft, the overall feel of the design is not. Cartoonish and
colorful almost to the point of being gaudy, Mists of Pandaria is
distinctly a Blizzard creation. Still not convinced? Take a walk around
old zones inside the game and then head over to Mists of Pandaria.
Pandaria may be a world apart,
but it clearly is a part of the World of
Warcraft design we love.

3. Talking Cows Anyone?

One of the biggest issues
players have with the Pandaren is the fact that they are essentially
talking pandas. Apparently adding talking bears to the game makes it
“unrealistic” and “childish”. I
could probably get behind this argument, but then I remember that the
World of Warcraft I play also has giant blue space aliens, talking
cattle, zombies, and a slew of other fantasy creatures. How exactly
adding bears who speak to this mix changes the feel of the game in any
way is beyond me. In fact, if nothing else, far from being strange and
unusual, the Pandaren will fit right in with the current World of
Warcraft races. No stretch of imagination necessary.

While many find the Pandaren to
be a “just for laughs” race that has no place in a
“serious” game like World of Warcraft, I believe
the opposite. While World of Warcraft is a game about war and conquest,
it has managed to keep a lighthearted side that is far from mature.
From NPCs spitting out funny phrases when poked to many times, pop
culture references that made us chuckle, to quest lines that border on
hilarity (pitching baby bears out of trees anyone?) the World of
Warcraft that I know is far from serious. For me, the Pandaren are a
race that, much like the Tauren, are a “LOL” race
that bring just enough of a straight face to the table that they can
fit easily into the overall flow of the game.

1. World of Warcraft Lore

Like it or not, Pandaren have
been around for a long time. In fact the Pandaren can be found at
(least in reference) as far back as Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne
where the famous Brewmaster Chen Stormstout aided the mighty Rexxar.
From this point onward the Pandaren have made appearances throughout
World of Warcraft popping up where players least expect them. From
obscure references, to actual sightings, Pandaren are nothing new to
the World of Warcraft landscape and were much beloved. That is until
they were announced as the next playable race at BlizzCon 2011.

From that point onward the
Pandaren became pariahs to a grand majority of the World of Warcraft
community. Forgetting their longstanding history in the game, players
who oppose the Pandaren claim they are solely based on the popular
children’s movie Kung Fu Panda, which is an impossibility
since, as mentioned above, Pandaren made their appearance with The
Frozen Throne in 2003, while Kung Fu Panda was not released until
several years later in 2008. Like it or not, Pandaren are an original
World of Warcraft idea and while they haven’t been around as
long as some figures in lore, they aren’t newcomers to the
game either.

Do you love or hate the
Pandaren race? What are your reasons for feeling this way? Do you think
your mind could be changed? Share your thoughts with us in the comments
section below!

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About The Author

Amunet, also fondly known as Memtron, is an organic life form best known for its ongoing obsession with Blizzard Entertainment's numerous properties. To that end, Amu has authored hundreds (thousands?) of the most popular World of Warcraft guides, editorials, and Top 10 lists on the planet. When not gaming and writing, Amu is busy chasing after her three children in a perpetual loop of ongoing disaster.